Dhaka, Bangladesh, July 24 (ANI): Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin resigned on Friday, a reliable source told ANI.
The official announcement of the president’s resignation was scheduled to be made at 5 p.m. Bangladesh time, the source added.
Under Bangladesh’s Constitution, if the president resigns, the Speaker of Parliament will serve as acting president until a new president is elected.
A new president will then be elected by members of the Jatiya Sangsad (National Parliament) in accordance with the constitutional process.
Because the new president’s term will be tied to the current Parliament, the selection of the country’s next head of state has taken on significant political importance.
Mohammed Shahabuddin was sworn in as Bangladesh’s president on April 24, 2023, after being elected unopposed as the ruling Awami League’s nominee.
His five-year term had been scheduled to end in April 2028.
The official announcement follows days of intense speculation in Bangladeshi media and independent reports indicating an imminent leadership transition at Bangabhaban.
Reports by local media outlets, including breaking updates from Jamuna TV and coverage by the daily newspaper Prothom Alo, had indicated that President Shahabuddin was likely to step down, reportedly for health reasons.
The political developments gained further attention following posts on X by UK-based Bangladeshi journalist Zulkarnain Saer.
Saer reported that President Shahabuddin’s departure was imminent and said Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Gani had emerged as a leading contender to succeed him. According to the reports, no senior Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader was under consideration for the post.
The reports were subsequently picked up and widely circulated by mainstream Bangladeshi media.
Under Articles 50 and 54 of Bangladesh’s Constitution, once President Shahabuddin formally tenders his resignation to the Speaker of Parliament, the Speaker must immediately assume the role of acting president.
The Jatiya Sangsad will then be required to elect a new president within 90 days to serve the remainder of the current presidential term. (ANI)
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